Classical Chinese was the main form used in Chinese literary works until the May Fourth Movement, and was also used extensively in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The Hui people developed Jingtang Jiaoyu for representing Arabic sounds with Chinese characters. Classical Chinese has had influence of Jingtang Jiaoyu. Rather than using Standard Chinese grammar, they use the grammar of their dialect and Classical Chinese to read the Arabic sounds out loud.

Literary Chinese is also known as Wen-li, wen-li or wenli. Most Chinese people with at least a middle school education are able to read basic Classical Chinese, because the ability to read (but not write) Classical Chinese is part of the Chinese middle school and high school curricula ;. and is part of the college entrance examination. Classical Chinese is taught primarily by presenting a classical Chinese work and including a vernacular gloss that explains the meaning of phrases. Tests on classical Chinese usually ask the student to express the meaning of a paragraph in vernacular Chinese, using multiple choice. They often take the form of comprehension questions.

Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, in the Chinese literary language, plain style (1902) by Schereschewsky ;. 1875 Chinese Mandarin Easy Wenli [Chinois ] Old Testament by Schereschewsky ;. New Testament, in plain Wenli (1898) by Schereschewsky ;. Xin yue quan shu, Zhong xi zi - English and Mandarin Chinese (1880) ; . New Testament ;. CANTONESE - New Testament in English and Canton colloquial (1908) ;.

Lessons in elementary Wenli = Hua wen shi yi ;.

An analytical Chinese-English dictionary ;.

English - Chinese pocket dictionary - Mandarin dialect ;.

Analysis of Chinese characters ;.


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This is vol. I only.

I hope that vol. II will coming soon.


Frederick Liu
Wuhan University
Chinese Culture Center